Milling cutter and insert-carrying cartridge for use therein

A cartridge for a milling cutter, comprising:

• a body including first and second end surfaces facing away from one another, front and rear side surfaces extending between the end surfaces and facing away from one another, and inner and outer flank surfaces interconnecting the front and rear side surfaces and facing away from one another, an insert seat formed in the front side surface adjacent the second end surface for receiving a cutting insert;
• a slot extending completely through the body from the inner flank surface to the outer flank surface, the slot including first and second slot ends, the first slot end situated adjacent proximate the first end surface and spaced from the first end surface and from the front and rear side surfaces, the second slot end intersecting the front side surface at a location between the first and second end surfaces, the first slot end being situated closer to the first end surface than is the second slot end, wherein the slot divides the body into a rigid base portion and an expandable portion, the base portion including the seat section, the expandable portion being integral with the base portion and elastically deformable relative to the base portion about a fulcrum disposed at the first slot end;
• a hole extending through the body and passing through the outer flank surface and through the inner flank surface;
• and
• an expansion screw threadedly mounted in the hole and including a wedge portion for elastically expanding the expandable portion away from the base portion in response to rotation of the expansion screw.

A milling tool comprising:

• a holder defining an axis of rotation and including an outer peripheral surface in which circumferentially spaced pockets are formed, each pocket being elongated in a direction extending generally parallel to the axis and open in a radially outward direction, and in an axially forward direction, each pocket including a leading wall facing generally opposite a direction of rotation, a trailing wall facing generally toward the direction of rotation and a bottom surface facing in an axial forward direction;
• a plurality of cartridges mounted in respective pockets, each cartridge comprising a body which includes:
• first and second end surfaces facing away from one another, the first end surface facing the bottom wall of the pocket,
• front and rear side surfaces extending between the first and second end surfaces and facing away from one another, wherein the front side surface faces the leading wall, and the rear side surface faces the trailing wall, and inner and outer flank surfaces interconnecting the front and rear side surfaces and facing away from one another wherein the outer wall faces radially outwardly,
• the cartridge body forming an insert seat adjacent the second end surface for receiving a cutting insert,
• a slot extending completely through the body from the inner flank surface to the outer flank surface, the slot including first and second slot ends, the first slot end situated adjacent to the first end surface and spaced from the first end surface and the front and rear side surfaces, the second slot end intersecting one of the front and rear side surfaces at a location between the insert seat and the first end surface, wherein the slot divides the body into a rigid base portion and an elastically expandable portion elastically deformable relative to the base portion about a fulcrum disposed proximate the first slot end,
• a hole formed in the body, and
• an expansion screw threadedly mounted in the hole and including a wedge portion, the screw being rotatable in one direction to enable the wedge portion to elastically expand the expandable portion away from the base portion and away from the other of the front and rear side surfaces and into contact with a respective one of the leading and trailing walls of the pocket to push the base portion into tight frictional contact with the other of the leading and trailing walls, respectively.